Picture-frame.



PATENTED MAR.-24, 190s'. R. BENZIGBR. PICTURE FRAME.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 15, 190.2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l0 MODEL.

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PATENTED MAR, 24, 1 903.

R. BENZIGER. PICTURE FRAME. vAPPLICATION FILED DEO. 15, 1902.

l0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITEDv STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

SILVER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

PoRA-TIoN or ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PICTURE-FRAME.

'ils- ECIFIGATION forming part of Letter.' Patent No. 723,577, datedMarch 24, 1903. Application filed December 15, 1902. Serial No. 1353212.(No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUS BENZIGER,a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful- Improvements in Picture-Frames, ofwhich the following is a specification. .Y

This invention relates to improvements in frames-or holders forpictures, photographs, medallions, plaques, and the like; and itconsists in certain peculiarities'of the construction, novelarrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will behereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The principal object of the invention is to afford a frame of theabove-named character which shall be so made as to produce what is knownin the art as shadow-box effect and be highly ornamental and which shallalso be simple and inexpensive in construction, of but few parts, andeasily assembled.

Other objects and advantages of the in Veni tion will be disclosed inthe subjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the artto which my inventionpertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it,referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a faceview of a frame embody'- ing one form of my invention. Fig. 2 isacentral sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a face view of a modifiedform of the invention. Fig. 4 is a vert-ical central sectional Viewthereof. Fig. 5 is afragmental perspective view of a portion of theinner part of the frame, showing still another modification therein.Fig. 6 is a face view of another modified form of the frame. Fig. 7 is alongitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 8 is a face View of stilianother modified form of the frame. Fig. 9 is a face view of a portionof the inner part of the frame used in the construction illustrated inFig. `6; and Fig. 1Q is a plan View of the rear portion of thepicture-holder, showing it detached.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views ofthe drawings.

Arepresents the outer portion of the frame, which may be made of anysuitable size and material, but preferably of metal, and may be inoutline circular, oval, or angular, as

shown in the different Views'of the drawings. This outer portion orcasing has its face or Yfront edge turned inwardly to form a bead- IlikeIiange @,vthe free edge o.` of whichY affords a seat for the glass B,which may be -concavo-convex or fiat and of a shape to correspond Withthe shape of the casing.

Fitting snugly withinthe casing A or outer Vportion of theframe is theinner portion or box C, which in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings is shownas being concavo-convex,with a central opening in which is located thepictureholder D of a form or shape to correspond with the form of thesaid opening.' As is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and l0 of the drawings.,the holder D comprises a band or flange `-@having its front or faceportion turned inwardly, so as to provide a curved fiange d',

'against the rear portion of which the picture 'E will rest.` The flanged is provided with a series of lips e and e', the former series of whichare turned outwardly, so as to rest on the rear surface of the box C atifs opening, while thelatter are turned inwardly to 'rest on the pictureE, the said lips'thus serving to secure the holder D in position in theopening of the' lbox C and also firmly retaining the picture inposition.

To exclude dust and to otherwise protect the picture, I may secure inthe rear portion of the casing A a back plate F, having aforwardly-extending flange f to fit closely in the casing, as is shownin Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, which plate may have pivotally securedto its upper portion a rod g to be used for supporting the frame. 1

Instead of making the box or inner portion concavo-convex, as shown inFig. 2 and above described, I may furnish the casing or outer portionwith a box or inner portion C', having a plane and rearwardly-inclinedsurface c,

having at the edge of its opening a curved flange c', on which thepicture E-will rest, and which may be held in place by means of backingh, located between the picture and the back plate F when the same isused.

InFig. 5 I have shown still another modification in the construction ofthe box or in- IDO ner portion of the frame, which consists of aconcave-convex box or inner portion C2, having integrally therewith acurved ange c2, against the outer portion of which the picture willrest.

In Figs. 6 to 0, inclusive, are shown modified forms of the outer andinner portions of the frame, the lnoditication of the outer portionconsisting in the outlines of its parts and the modification of theinner portion consisting in the shape of its opening through which thepicture is displayed.

While I have shown the box or inner portion of the frame used in themodifications now under consideration as being ot' substantially thesaine shape and form as that shown in Fig. 4 and above described, yet itis evident that the constructions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 may beemployed therewith without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings the picture E is shown as being held in placeon the flange c2 of the box or inner portion C2 by means of a backing hand a plate H,which slides between the sides of the casing or outerportion of the frame and which plate may be locked in position by meansof a spring-catchjt, located on one end of said plate.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings it will be seen andreadilyunderstood that by using a frame constructed according to myinvention the picture or article to be framed will be held at a distancefrom the glass covering, and as the face surface of the box or innerportion of the frame is rearwardly inclined and as the parts of theframe may be partially or entirely burnished or polished a shadow-boxeffect, as well as highly ornamental effects, will be produced.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A frame for pictures .and the like, consisting of an outer portion orcasing provided on its front edge with an inwardly-turned lia-nge toform a seat for the glass, and an inner portion or box having a centralopening and rearwardly inclined toward said opening, said4 box restingat its front edge against the inner surface of the glass, an inturnedflange located at the edge of the opening in the box, and means to holdthe picture in place, substantially as described.

2. A frame for pictures and thelike, consisting of an outer portion orcasing provided on its front edge with aninwardly-turned flange to formaseat for the glass, andan inner portion or box having a central openingand resting at its front edge against the glass and rearwardly inclinedtoward its opening, an in wardly-turned iange located at the edge of theopening in the box, the front edge of said flange being located in aplanein advance of the rear portion of the box to form a seat for thepicture, and means to hold the picture in place, substantially asdescribed.

3. A frame for pictures and the like, consisting of an outer portionprovided at its front edge with an inwardly-turned ange to form a seatfor the glass, and an inner portion or box havinga central opening,apictureholderiocated in said opening and comprising a piece having atits front an inturned flange the edge of which is located in advance ofthe rear portion ot' the holder, the rear portion of the holder beingprovided with lips some of which are adapted to be turned inwardly tosecure the picture in place, and others outwardly to secure the holderin position, substantially as described.

RUFUS BENZIGER. Witnesses:

CHAs. C.. TILLMAN, A. GUsTAFsoN.

